Customer Reviews

Return to Labyrinth Volume 2 (v. 2)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I the first one, I was a bit disappointed. The artistry was odd, the characters didn't seem well thought out, but I still was going to give the second one a chance, I'm a Labyrinth fan!

This one is FAR better! The first one was more of a real start up, this really continues it and makes the story truly come alive. You really get a far better feel for the characters this time around, what is really at stake, how Jareth still feels and how his feelings affect everyone else around him. The Queen and her daughter's rolls now really come into play, and Moppet is the perfect love interest for Toby. And the last page, and I really mean the LAST PAGE is the second to best part! Reading the whole book makes that last page soo what Labyrinth fans have been waiting for :D

But the best page was the Editor's note at the end. Instead of 3 mangas, there will be 4!!! Smart idea. He said it was to fully round out the story, and that he and the writers had paid attention to what us, the fans, had said and wanted. So that's good news.

I will definitely be waiting to see what comes up. It's totally worth reading. Take it from someone who's been a fan of Labyrinth when I was 2 years old and it had first come out.

First let me say that I was not impressed with vol 1 of this manga. I like Toby, but I really care about the Jareth/Sarah story, so I was glad to see it in volume 2. The author's note in the back of the book indicates that the author's really listened to people's comments about the first volume and made some changes (probably why it took so long for this volume to be released). With Sarah apparently more involved in the plot, Jareth acting more like himself, and a mysterious prophecy, I'm really looking forward to both volume 3 and 4 (yes there are 4 volumes now due to the plot changes/additions). The art has also improved and while not up to Japanese manga standards, it's much better than volume 1.

After reading the first volume, I was slightly disappointed with a few things, but thought it was okay. The second volume was nothing short of amazing! The art doesn't looked like it was rushed and I like how Jareth and Sarah now look. Sarah looks beautiful, and Jareth now looks more like his royal self. I hope the next cover will have them both.

I love with what was done with Moppet, as she is now a more developed character. It'll be interesting to find out why she looks so much like Sarah. Also, she has more a backbone, so it's nice to see her be a much stronger person than she was before.

It seems that after Jareth lost to Sarah, he was very bitter, yet he still wanted her to be a Queen. That, combined with the finale scene, and the prophecy will lead things to an intrusting conclusion.

Moppet's discovery makes it very clear that if Sarah had lost, Jareth had already had her room prepared. No to mention the music box she finds. Still, why wouldn't Jareth have had the room destroyed? He must've saved it for possible future use. Still, with what Drumlin pulled, that room has been destroyed and Jareth isn't around to answer any questions.

Without his magic, Jareth seems to have trouble going through the Labyrinth. It was funny to see him crawl like a hamster though a tunnel.

Spittledrum had earned his name. It I doubt he'll ever find the respect he wants when someone taped a "kick me" sign on his back.

Sarah's reaction to seeing Jareth will be interesting. Will she faint, or will her lack of people food make her somewhat grouchy ? Her cat doesn't seem to like Jareth either. No to mention how will she react when she finds out that her brother has become the Goblin King ?

Also, it's noted that this will be a four part series, not three.

Get this book. You will want to own the entire series.

I was pleasantly surprised by Volume 2 of "Return to the Labyrinth". While the cover art is still misleading, having been done by an entirely different artist than the real illustrator of the story, the general quality of the art seems to have improved. Toby looks dashing, the goblins cute or quirky, Jareth regal, and Sarah once again beautiful (no longer rough and ragged). The art still isn't a 10/10. A point in the story one character is supposed to look just like Sarah. You wouldn't know this without the other characters informing you of the remarkable resemblance.

Fans of Sarah and Jareth will be happy to know that these characters do make a return. Volume 1 made some of us worry that these characters we picked up the manga for wouldn't be returning much and we would be forced to find a love for Toby and his crew or find a new story to follow.

The storyline comes together with character growth and interesting back story. Amusing jokes are hidden in the story to tie the manga to the original film. Have fun finding such dialogue goodies as:

"You remind me of the babe."

"What babe?"

As well as a music box that plays "As the World Falls Down".

A last treat is the fanart, displayed at the end of the volume, done by other manga artists.

Now you're probably looking to see with all the lackluster reviews of the first graphic novel if things get better. Or you read the first and are trying to decide if you should just give it up now. Well, I've got some good news for you, the art is BETTER.

While the cover is done by a different artist than the one that does the manga (the same cover artist for the first graphic novel), the art inside is much better. It seems like the artist was given more time to work on things, and utilized it well. Jareth doesn't seem like a doodle, but much closer to his old self: sharp features and wild hair. Queen Mizumi seems much more larger-than-life (Drumlin gets larger than life, but that's neither here nor there). Speaking of Drumlin, the two daughters seemed to be worth attention when penned. Toby looks a lot better and Sarah's appearances in flashbacks and what she's doing in the real world make her much prettier than she looked in the last novel. Environment details in the last novel were well done to begin with, but they feel as if they're a bit nicer in this novel.

Possibly due to the extension of the series from 3 novels to 4, the pace in this one is a little more slower. You get to see more of the goings on in the Goblin Kingdom, you get insight into where Mizumi fits in, and you start to see what in the world Jareth is thinking. While some of the side characters meant for comic relief, like Scub and Stank, remain static silly, characters like Moppet, Mizumi and her daughters, and even Spittledrum gain some dimension to them. You start to get drawn in by certain plot devices, and Return becomes a story unto itself instead of a trip back down memory lane. What is the bet that Jareth and Mizumi have? Why does Moppet's face look so familiar? Is Toby gaining powers and will he remain there forever? They're very easy to come to plot ideas, of course, but a definite improvement over the last novel if you were looking for more than a story setup there.

More references to various other literature and films: the Dark Crystal and the Chronicles of Narnia get hat tips, as well as more Labyrinth ones. And that Mac and Cheese box looked nearly familiar...

In the end, getting through the first graphic novel for setup is well worth it after reading this one. I have high hopes the next novel will show art on par or better than this one, as well as more revelations as to what Jareth has up his sleeve, if he does have anything at all. Here's hoping things keep looking up!

***May contain spoiled information!*****

I thought Volumn 2 is more interesting that Volumn 1. You will learn that Jareth is really in love with Sarah and that he would do anything to have her back. Toby, now a prince and future King is trying his best to fit in while leaving his friends behind and frustrated. In the end of the volumn, Jareth finally returns to the human world, seeking out his "beloved!" I won't say more. Just buy the book and enjoy it!

This is really no work of art. The artwork is nothing special (at all), and the story seems to have been written by a 15-year old. It does not really develop the relationship between Jareth and the girl, the protagonists here are mostly new, and very bidimensional. I bought all three volumes because I really liked the movie. Big mistake.

The art inside the book was the same as the art in the first volume so my comments remain the same for both. The story focused on Toby learning how to be the king and control the labyrinth. I really wasn't expecting him to have to take actual classes in order to do this. I knew he had to learn, but I just thought it would happen a different way. And Mizumi's plot was a bit predictable once you found out about the wager. I would have liked to see a bit more of Sarah and Jareth in this volume since we all know that's where Jareth was going when he left at the end of the first volume. There were also some times in the story where more than one thing would be happening on one page at the same time with no warning of a change and it was just like, "What???" Anyway, I can't say it was better than the first volume and I can't say it was worse than it so I am just giving it the same score I gave the first volume. I'm really hoping the 3rd volume is better so I don't feel like I wasted a load of money on a bunch of nothing (to put it nicely).

I loved this book even more and since the third book had a pause before it came out I was very anxious to get to the third. This one created an even bigger mystery as to what is going on in Jareth's universe and the ending is the best cliff hanger of them all. Kudo's to Jake Forbes again for writing a wonderful book and really the best thing to do would be to get a copy of each one and decide for yourself if these books are great or not. Manga isnt for everyone and some people just dont get it.

This was by far much better than volume 1. I think the author (and the artist) is really taking the time to create something that true Labyrinth fans really want to see.